Coke-oven apparatus



Dec. 31, SE F PUENING ,74l,l64

COKE OVEN APPARATUS Filed May 4 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: Franz Puc/7:79

BY y

m ATTORNE Dec. 31, 1929. F. PUENING l,741,164

COKE OVEN APFARATUS Filed May 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVEN TOR. Franz Pele/7039 Dec. 31, 1929.

F. PUENING COKE OVEN APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheat 4 INVENTQR. Franz ue/7039 ATTORN Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANZ PUENING, OF O'HARA TOWNSHIP, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

SIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS COMPANY, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE COKE-OVEN Application filed May 4,

My invention relates to coke oven apparatus and particularly to the provision of larry cars or charging trucks, having effective means for controlling the openings of a coking chamber during the charging operation.

My invention has for one of its objects to provide a seal for the clarging openings of coking chambers that shall constitute a pressure-relief device theretor.

A second object of my invention is to provide a seal for the charging openings of coking chambers that shall be carried by the charzing truck and selectively controlled therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a seal of the character described that shall efectually prevent the loss of gases from the coking chamber during the charging operation, but that shall yield readily to excessive pressur'e therein to prevent damage to the walls thereof in case o explosion.

In the charging of coke ovens and particularly when preheat-ed coal is used in the manufacture of coke, gascs in considerable Volume are generated Very quickly upon the entrance of the coal into the coking chamber. If suflicient air is present, an explosive mixture may be formed that will be ignited by the hot walls of the coking chamber.

Larry cars, as at present constructed, are provided with extensible sleeves for connecting the hoppers to the corresponding charging openings of the coking chamber. When the sleeves are in position and the gates of the hoppers are closed, the gates constitute suhstantially rigid seals for the respective openings. In case of an explosion, the Walls of the coking chamber are likely to be damaged.

lVhen the sleeves are not extended or the gates are open, smoke and gases may escape from the coking chamber either directly into the atmosphere or through the hoppers, since the means for normally Withdrawing the smoke and gases is not suflicient to maintain pressure at or below atmospheric pressure at all of the openings simultaneously.

It is highly desirable not only to prevent the loss of gases with their valuable constituent vapors but to insure that such ex- APPARATUS 1927. serial' No. ss,s49.

plosions as may occur do not damage the walls of the coking chamber.

To this end, I provide seals for the chargng openings of a coke oven Whereby the respective openings may be selectively opened or closed in such manner that the desired pressure may he maintained during the charging operation and all of the gases withdrawn from the coking chamber.

The seals are relatively light in Weight and readily movable outwardly to constitute pressure-relief devices in case of excessive pressure or an explosion in the chamber.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an end View in elevation of a larry car constructed in accordanee with my invention, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side View in elevation of the larry car of Fig. 1, parts being broken away, and a portion of a coke oven being shown in secton;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the larry car;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modification; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional View of a second modification.

Refcrring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a battcry of coke ovens comprises individual coking chambers 11 only the tops of certain of which are shown. Each chamber has a series of charging openings 12 that are normally closed by the usual relatively heavy lids or covers (not shown).

As shown in Fig. 2, each chamber is provided With a gas off-take pipe 13 by means of which forced draft may be applied to the chamber, a steam jet (not shown) being employed for the latter purpose in the usual arrangement. The pipe 13 is provided with a pressure-relief device 14.

The ovens are charged by means of a larry car 15 that operates on tracks 16 that extend across the tops of the ovens. The larry car may accordingly be moved into position for charging any chamber through the series of opening 12.

The larry car 15 comprises a frame 17 of structural iron or steel having wheels 18. It is provided With 'four hoppers 19, 20, 21 and 22 eorresponding in number and in disposition to the openings 12 in each chamber 11. A cab 23 contains the several Operating mechanisms for controllin: the operation of the car and particularly the discharging of the coal froni the hoppers.

Each hopper is provided with a ehute 24 that is adapted to discharge directly downwardly into its corresponding opening'. Each hopper has a g ate 25 that is controlled by a link mechanism 26 and an Operating lever 27 located in the cab.

Beneath each chute 24 is a plate 28 having arms 29 extending upwardly on either side of the chute. The arns 29 of all of the plates 28 are connected to rocker arms 31 Secured to a rock shaft The shaft 32 is controlled by an Operating lever 33 connected thereto by a link mechansm 34. Each plate 28 has an aperture 35 corresponding in size and shape to the openings 12.

Each of the apertured members 28 carries I loosely thereon a. slidable valve plate 37 ot' relatively light weight for controlling the aperture 35. Each valve plate 37 is controlled as to its horizontal position by a link 38, an arm 39 and an Operating lever 40 that is operatively connected to the arm 39.

In the operation of the car 15, it may be assumed that the hoppers are filled with coal which has preferably been preheated and that the car is in position to charge the heated coking chamber, the openings 12 of which are below the chutes ot' the corresponding hoppers. It may be assumed also that the usual lids or covers have been removed from the openings 12. The lever is actuated to the left from its illustrated position in Fig. 1 to the dotted-line position to lower the rocker arms 31 and the connected apertured members 28 and valve plates 37. The openngs 12 are now covered by the valve plates 37. The operator may now empty the hoppers in any desired order. The discharre of the hopper 22 shown in Fig. l will be described by way of example. The operator actuates the lever 40 to draw the plate valve 37 to its extreme left-hand position indicatcd by dotted lines to uncover the opening 12. The lever 27 is then operatcd to open the n'ate, 25 and the coal in the hopper passes through the chute 24, the aperture 35 and the opening 12 into the coking chamber.

lVhen the coal enters the heated chamber, gases are quickly generated in considerable quantities but the forced draft of the otl'- take pipe and the inrush of coal from the hopper are normally suificient to prevent loss of gases through the openings. If, however. an explosion occurs, the valve plates 37 over the remaining openings vield readily by reason of their light weight and loose mounting to relieve the pressure within the chamber and thus prevent damage to its walls.

Inasmuch as the valve plates are pivotally connected to the respective Operating links and thei outward movement is limited by the lower ends of the chutes 24, they drop back substantially immediately after an eX- plosion to cover the openings and prevent further loss of cases The valve plate of the hopper bein discharged is returned to its closed position innediately the hopper is empty.

The operation of discharging the remaining hoppers is similar to that described,` the valve plate of the desired hopper being opened for the discharge while the other valve plates are closed. The closed valve plates act as pressure-relief devices as previous y set forth.

TVhen all of the hoppers have been discharged the lever 33 is returned to its fullline position to cause the rocker arms to raise the apertured members 28 with their valve plates 37 from the openings 12 into their full-line positions adjacent to the lower ends of the chutes 24. The usual lids or covers are then placed over the openings 12. The car 15 may then be returned to be refilled, the gates 25 being closed at any desired time.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the structure shown therein differs from that of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, principally in the Construction of the controlling mechanism for the valve plate.

Each of the several valve plates 42 is rigidly connected to a relatively light rod 43 that is pivotally connected to a rocker arm 44, the latter being operatively connected to a lever 45.

Each valve plate 42 is controlled as to its vertical position by a fiexible member such, for example, as a chain- 46 that is connected to a rocker arm 47, the latter being operati vely connected to a common Operating lever 48.

ln operation. the valve plates 42 are lowercd into position by the lever 48 to seal their eorresponding openings. One of the valve plates 42 is shown in its scaling position in Fle. 4. The openins 12 are selectivcly uncovered by actuating the corresponding lever to draw the valve plate 42 to the let't about the outer end ot the rocker arm 47 as a pivot. The outer position of the valve plate 42 shown in Fig. 4 is indicated by dotted lines.

The hoppers are enptied in any desired order, the valve plates being selectively controlled by the operator to permit the coal to enter the openings 12. The openings are sealed except as coal is being emptied therethrough. In case of explosion, the valve plates 42 move upwardly with the rods 43 about the end of the arm 44 as a pivot. The valve plates drop back into operative position to again seal the corresponding openmgs.

The seal shown in Fig. 5 difl'ers from those i previously described in that it consists of an extensible sleeve 50 of light material surrounding the chute 24 and that may be raised or lowered by a suitable opcrating lever operatively connected to chains 51. The lower portion of the sleeve is provided with a horizontal extension 52 having a tlauge 53 for engaging 'the top of the oven to space the extension 52 therefrom.

Each of the sleeves 50 is provided with its individual Operating lever and they may accordingly be selectively controlled to seal the openings 12. In case of an explosion, the

sleeves, which are relativcly light in weight,

yield upwardly as in the case of the valve plates to relieve the pressure in the coking chamber.

It will be noted that I have provided a charging truck having means for etfectively scaling the openings of a coking chamber during the charging operation. The sealin r means may be selectively controlled by the operator whereby the hoppers may be emptied in any desired sequence or simultaneously, as desired. The seals constitute pressurerelief devices that avoid damage in case of an explosion.

The foregoing and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art relating to coke ovens.

I clain as ny invention:

1. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to corresponding openings in a coking chamber to be charged and means carried by said truck for selectively controlling said openings, said means being yieldable to pressure within said chamber.

2. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to corresponding openings in a coking chamber to be charged and closure devices for selectively controlling said openings, said closure devices being carried by said truck and yieldable to pressure within said chamber.

3. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to correspondng openings in a coking chamber to be charged, closure devices for said openings carried by said truck, said closure devices being readily yieldable to pressure within said chamber, and means carried by said truck for selectively controlling said closure devices.

4. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to corresponding openings in a coking chamber to b'e charged and means for controlling the communication between the hoppers and the respective openings comprising a member that is readily responsive to pressure within the chamber.

5. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to corresponding openings in a coking chamber to be charged and means for controlling the communication between the hoppers and the respective openings comprising a valve member normally preventing communication between the atmosphere and said chamber but that is responsive to pressure within said chamber to constitute a relief device therefor.

G. A charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers for connection to a coking chamber to be charged, said chamber having a plurality of openings, and means readily yieldable to pressure within said chamber for selectively closing said openings whereby said hoppers may be successively (lischarged into said chamber'substantially without loss of gases therefrom.

charging truck for coke ovens comprising a plurality of hoppers adapted to be connected to corresponding openings in a coking chamber to be charged, closure devices for said openings carried by said truck, said devices being relatively light in weight and movable upwardly to constitute pres sure-relief devices for said chamber but normally preventing communication between the atmosphere and said chamber, and means for selectively controlling said closure devices.

8. In a coke oven, the combination with a coking chamber having a plurality of recharging openings, of means for rechargmg said chamber through said openings, and means for selectively applying pressure-relief valves to said openings for preventing admission of air therethrough.

9. In a coke oven, the combination with a coking chamber having a plurality of charging openings, of means for charging said chamber through said openings, pressure-relief valves for said openings carried by said charging means, and means for selectively controlling the application of said valves to said openings.

10. In a coke oven, the combination With a coking chamber having a plurality of charging openings, of means for charging said chamber through said openings, means for selectively scaling said openings, said sealing means being readily operable to relieve excessive pressure within said chamber, and means carried by said charging means for controlling said scaling means In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of May, 1927.

F RANZ PUENING. 

